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Westfield businessman Steve Oleksak and wife, Sue, will be honored by Greater Westfield chapter of American Red Cross for community service

Sue and Steve Oleksak.jpg

Susan and Stephen Oleksak will be this year's honorees at the Greater Westfield Chapter of the American Red Cross Community Spirit award dinner and fundraiser. The event will have an oldies theme.
(Submitted Photo)

The Oleksaks will receive the “Outstanding Community Spirit” award at the event on May 2 at Tekoa Country Club.

“Every year we honor a person or a married couple for making a difference in the greater Westfield area,” said chapter director Richard Rubin. “It goes to those who have really done a lot to support the community in Westfield.”

Past recipients have included the late philanthropist, Albert Ferst, and former mayor Richard K. Sullivan Jr.

“There’s no prerequisite that they have to have been involved with the Red Cross, but a lot of them have,” Rubin said. “We host the event, but it’s really from the community.”

Rubin said Oleksak and his wife are deserving of the recognition.

“They’ve been involved with the Westfield Boys and Girls Club, and have been sponsoring their annual golf classic for over 25 years,” Rubin said. “Sue has served for six years on our Red Cross board of directors.”

The Oleksaks have also been involved in Westfield Little League, Neighbor to Neighbor, BOA Sisterhood of America, and Stephen Oleksak organized a successful gun buyback program in the city several years ago.

“They’ve also done things like chaperoning dances and serving Thanksgiving dinners,” Rubin said. “When we had that October storm, they looked to Steve for help because he owns Green Meadow Lumber – he was already out clearing debris.”

Over the years, Green Meadow Lumber has supplied mulch to the city of Westfield, churches, schools and non-profitt agencies as well.

“They’re very humble,” Rubin said of the Oleksaks. “They will be there as host and hostess, greeting people.”

Stephen Oleksak is indeed humble.

“It’s nice that they think of you that way,” he said. “We just started getting involved in the community.”

Oleksak said his primary focus has been helping the Boys and Girls Club.

“We’ve done the golf tournament for them for 25 years, at $50,000 a year (raised),” he said. “When we hear of a need, we try to help. If we have the money, we give it. If we don’t, we do the work. We’ve had no intention of getting any personal credit.”

Oleksak said his wife is the driving force behind much of the community service work that they do.

The Red Cross event this year will have an “oldies” theme. The well-known local oldies band, Cory and the Knightsmen, will perform. There will be a cocktail hour, with appetizers and a cash bar, a silent auction and a raffle.

The auction features several items sure to be sought after, including concert and Boston Red Sox tickets, as well as a guitar autographed by REO Speedwagon.

In addition to alcoholic beverages, the bar will sell traditional “soda fountain” drinks, such as vanilla Cokes and root beer floats and will be decorated in a retro style. The attire is “oldies casual,” and attendees are encouraged to wear something that evokes 50s, 60s or 70s style.

There will be a sit-down dinner and several speakers.

Tickets to the event, which runs from 6 to 11 p.m., are $75. Tickets can be ordered by calling (413) 233-1035 or by sending a check made out to American Red Cross Greater Westfield Chapter to P.O. Box 1324, Westfield, MA, 01086.